Friday 21 August 2015

Carrie Underwood – New single "Smoke Break" & new album STORYTELLER due

Updated Aug 27, 2015: STORYTELLER cover art revealed, chart update, audio segments, new video, Billboard article and chart debuts, Smoke Break smashes the one week Radio ADD total!
  • Carrie Underwood drops new single, "Smoke Break"
  • Sexy Cover for the single sees her striking a sexy pose while sitting in a corset and short skirt.
  • Reveals Album Has Song for Baby Son
Carrie Underwood - Single Artwork "Smoke Break"
CLICK to ENLARGE
(19 Recordings Limited / Arista Nashville) 

There’s another baby on the way for Carrie Underwood this time in the form of a brand new music project that will drop Oct 23rd!
This Autumn, Carrie Underwood will release STORYTELLER, which will hit stores and digital retailers on Oct 23, 2015
It''s her fifth studio album and her first in almost three-and-a-half years.

On the Billboard chart dated Dec 27, 2014 Carrie scored her fifth consecutive top five album, as her GREATEST HITS: Decade #1 (19/Arista Nashville/SMN), which made a bow at No.4 on the Billboard 200 with 103,000 units (93,714 were pure album sales) and entered the Billboard Top Country Albums at #1, displacing Garth Brooks's Man Against Machine.
It was the first Greatest hits album to top the country chart since Brooks & Dunn's #1s…and Then Some in September 2009 and marked the first by a female artist to do this since Shania Twain's Greatest Hits had 11 weeks on top from November 2004 to January 2005.
Carrie previously logged four albums that reached the top two on the Billboard 200: her “Some Hearts” debut (Released Nov 15, 2005; No.2 on Billboard 200; 315,000 debut sales), followed by three No.1s: “Carnival Ride” (Released Oct 23, 2007; 527,101 first week sales), “Play On” (Released Nov 2, 2009; 317,695 first week sales) and “Blown Away” (Released May 1, 2012, debut sales 267,338 copies).

Carrie is BACK!
Titled STORYTELLER, and set for release on October 23, the album includes tracks produced by Jay Joyce, Mark Bright, and Zach Crowell
Mark Bright has been with her Carrie since her time on American Idol ended and is as responsible for her success as anyone aside from the singer herself
Jay Joyce is the producer on the first single and is best known for his work with Eric Church and Little Big Town.

Storyteller launched with the single “Smoke Break,” which was delivered digitally to country radio Aug 20, 2015 for an official airplay impact date of August 24
Produced by Jay Joyce, “Smoke Break” was written by Underwood, Hillary Lindsey, and Chris DeStefano, with whom Underwood wrote her most recent #1 Mediabase Aircheck chart smash, “Little Toy Guns.”

Underwood made the announcement during a Facebook chat with fans on Thursday (Aug. 20, 2015).
But during the Facebook Q&A Carrie admitted she feels her new record is more country than her previous releases.

"I feel like a lot of the songs that I wrote and gravitated to ended up being more traditional and 'twangy' than anything I have ever done before,' she told one fan.


Carrie is back on the music scene after having a break following the birth of son Isaiah in February.
And while her new status as mother has undoubtedly influenced her music, Carrie insists she tried not to include any 'mommy songs' on Storyteller.
Underwood and hubby Mike Fisher, 35, welcomed their first child, a baby boy named Isaiah Michael Fisher on Feb 27, 2015.
Underwood said in the Facebook Q&A that one song on her new album is dedicated to him. "I tried to avoid the 'mommy' songs, but one managed to find its way in there!" she said. "I'm glad it did, because he'll always have that!"

The 32-year-old Oklahoma native revealed her new single. “Smoke Break” which was made available beginning 11 PM CT August 20 (midnight ET) for streaming and digital download.








On Friday Aug 21st “Smoke Break” was #1 on US iTunes Country and #2 iTunes overall (all genres) In the UK it was #1 on UK iTunes Country chart and placed #120 Overall UK iTunes.


Listen to 
a) Carrie’s Special Announcement b) Carrie explaining the storyline c) Carrie introducing Smoke Break d) The “Smoke Break” (Hook) e) “Smoke Break” Low-Fi Stream (128 Kbps)


Listen on Spotify
(P) 2015 19 Recordings Limited / Arista Nashville
Total Time: 4:36


She’s a small town hard working woman just trying to make a living
Working three jobs, feeding four little mouths in a run down kitchen
When you’re never taking nothing and doing nothing but giving
It’s hard to be a good wife and a good mom and a good Christian

I don’t drink, but sometimes I need a stiff drink   -- Super awkward?
Sipping from a highball glass, let the world fade away
She said I don’t smoke, but sometimes I need a long drag
Yeah I know it might sound bad, but sometimes I need a smoke break

He’s a big city hard working man just trying to climb the ladder
First generation to go to college instead of driving a tractor
Never had nothing handed to him on a silver platter
It’s hard to be a good man, good son, do something good that matters

He said I don’t drink, but sometimes I wanna pop that top
Take a swig and make the world stop and watch it fade away
He said I don’t smoke, but sometimes I wanna light it up
Yeah when things get tough, sometimes I need a smoke break

So here’s to you and here’s to when the day gets long Go ahead,
I understand if you wanna take a load off

I don’t drink, but sometimes I need a stiff drink
Sipping from a highball glass, let the world fade away
Yeah and I don’t smoke, but sometimes I need a long drag
Yeah I know it might sound bad, but sometimes I need a, sometimes I need a

When the day gets long, when the work’s all done
When the sun sets, when you need to forget
Grab that cup, fill it up
Sip it slow, and let it all go

©2015 Carrie-Okie Music (BMI). ©2015 EMI April Music Inc. (ASCAP). All rights obo EMI April Music Inc. adm by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 424 Church Street, Suite 1200, Nashville, TN 37219. ©2015 HillarodyRathbone Music (ASCAP) adm by BMG Rights Management (US) LLC. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

About the new single, Underwood says that the title isn’t necessarily meant to be literal, as she shares,
It’s basically an anthem for every hard-working person.  We all wear many hats and are spread thin, so we can all relate to being tired and needing a break.  This song is about having that moment to be able to escape from whatever it is that’s stressing you out and have some time for yourself.”

While she isn't a smoker herself, she based the title around the idea of taking a break during a hard task.
'We were writing and kept taking breaks to go outside because we were getting a little stuck on a song we were already working on,' she said. 'It was so beautiful outside, that we had a hard time focusing so we decided to write a song about taking breaks! Smoke Break seemed like a great title, so we ran with it!"

Carrie tweeted on Aug 20th


Underwood sings of needing a break from life’s grind, something she’s no doubt experiencing in new ways since having a baby in February.
The first verse is dedicated to moms, especially those doing it on their own.
She’s a small town hardworking woman just trying to make a living / Working three jobs, feeding four little mouths in a run down kitchen / When you’re never doing nothing and doing nothing but giving / It’s hard to be a good wife and good mom and a good Christian,” Underwood sings to begin “Smoke Break.”
Producer Jay Joyce replaces longtime board-man Mark Bright for Underwood’s next chapter.

Taste Of Country website write:

The sound isn’t edgy or overly progressive like albums from Eric Church or Little Big Town.
It’s a familiar voice delivered in a familiar way. She starts soft before soaring into the chorus:
Key Lyrics: “She said I don’t drink / But sometimes I need a stiff drink / Sipping from the highball glass / Let the world fade away / She said I don’t smoke / But sometimes I need a need a long drag / I know it might sound bad / But sometimes I need a smoke break.”
Why Fans Will Love It:
“Smoke Break” hits like the first sip of good whiskey. It’s a song everyone can relate to.




Whist most of the Facebook comments was positive one fan said “This is so dumb to sing about smoking as Carrie does not smoke ,,, Carrie should sing about something she knows and smoking is disgusting,, = I am not going to buy a song that promotes smoking = what was Carrie thinking?

A forum comment suggested: Bro-Country portrays life as a drunk and fun party. Carrie Underwood's "Smoke Room" portrays it as it really is - stressful, and something that we need a break from at times. It's fantastic to see an A-lister take charge. Screw the lettuce, I'm fancying a tomato.
Carrie Underwood-Promo Shot
Smoke Break
Click to ENLARGE!

In review Saving Country Music wrote: 

It’s also only fair to measure “Smoke Break” within the context of Carrie’s most recent output. The blockbuster Gospel-esque “Something in the Water” played very much to Carrie Underwood’s pristine Christian side. Then the next single “Little Toy Guns” unabashedly faced the social issue of domestic violence and parental fighting. 

So we can’t be too shocked Carrie revealed something a bit more light, especially for a lead single for an upcoming album, which pretty consistently these days in the mainstream is an album’s #1 bullet and blockbuster, with the rest of the material filing behind it to deliver greater measures of substance.
Graded beside its peers, there’s nothing especially wrong with “Smoke Break” and it really can’t be accused of chasing trends like so many of 2015’s singles. But it’s fluff. Like a smoke or a nip, it’s there to make you forget your worries for a minute, and there’s nothing especially wrong with that. But there’s nothing especially right about it either. 1 of 2 Guns Up.

Nashvillegab (Review)…..While the title of the song seems to suggest the encouragement of partaking in something unhealthy for those listening, the actual message is quite the
opposite. 
The brilliant writing of Carrie, Hillary, and Chris, rather, inspires people to find time for themselves and focus on their own needs in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle and mentality. As is quite typical from Carrie Underwood, her vocals on this record are strong, believable, and intensely moving, further influencing those of us who fail to see the importance of “me” time to remember that we deserve to take a breather. Sure to be the next of Carrie’s (and Hillary’s and Chris’s) Number 1 songs



For The Country Record (by Vickye Fisher) …As for the sound, well there are certainly elements of country and rock, making for something of a polished up, southern rock sound that is radio-friendly but sets her apart. From the beginning, although the texture seems
sparse, there are contributions from a strong drum beat, acoustic guitar, mandolin and even synths, which is indicative of the way songwriters in Nashville are writing these days – to electronic backing on a laptop that later gets adapted for more “authentic” sound. ...even though I’m liking the vibe that ‘Smoke Break’ gives, I’m a little concerned that synths are still making their way into the final mix. Sure, they’re subtle, and I had to listen a few times to confirm they were there, but it’s still sad given the fact that the songs would still sound just as good without them.....this sound suits Carrie. Sporting a big chorus that isn’t too bellowed, with crashing guitars and drums, the verses drop down and feature a twangy, bluesy melody while the outro has a rousing extension of the final chorus with gospel and southern rock inflections. ...a commercial orientation that’ll guarantee her plenty of radio play, this seems like the perfect balance for Carrie, especially since she has always had a rock edge to her music. As long as the country is just as prevalent as the rock, this could turn out to be a stellar album from her, and ‘Smoke Break’ already holds a lot of promise…

Hartford, Conn. Native, "Beauty Queen April Kry whose influences include Taylor Swift, Colbie Caillat and Billie Holiday writes: How great is this new Carrie Underwood song? Hope y'all enjoy the cover :)
Watch her belt out an OTT cover of >> “Smoke Breakbefore Carrie’s iTunes track even had a chance to dry!


Stay Tuned!



Smoke Break – The Video!
Entertainment Tonight exclusively debuted the full-length 'Smoke Break' music video on Monday August 24th!.
EXCLUSIVE: Watch Carrie Underwood's Brand New 'Smoke Break' Video


Watch Entertainment Tonight’s video:

Update (Aug 27, 2015) Watch Carrie Underwood’s video ‘Smoke Break
Watch the vevo.com Music video by Carrie Underwood performing ‘Smoke Break’. (C) 2015 19 Recordings Limited
It’s now also available on >> YouTube (published Aug 25, 2015; 452K views to date)

Directed by Randee St.Nicholas / Producers: Jay Joyce, Randy Supple, Michelle Faucheux
Randee St.Nicholas music video credits include Underwood’s award-winning video for “Blown Away”, Miranda Lambert "More Like her", Alan Jackson "Like Red on a Rose", Deana Carter "There's No Limit", Tim McGraw "Please Remember Me" and Shelby Lynne "Gotta Get Back". Also have the editorial credit for Carrie's PLAYS ON Billboard Magazine cover (April 21, 2012) and credited for Miranda Lambert's Platinum album photoshoot.


CREDIT Photo: AKM-GSI
Carrie Underwood is a sexy cowgirl while filming a new music video in the desert on Sunday (August 2) in Mojave Desert, Calif. 

The 32-year-old country singer is seen wearin’ a sexy pair of Daisy Dukes and knee-high leather boots.… Read More Here

Charts
Smoke Break gets a BIG ‘BREAK’!

Billboard Country Airplay: Carrie’s new single “Smoke Break” (19/Arista Nashville) soared in at No.24 with 14.423 million audience impressions and 2039 spins thanks to 105 new radio commitments (ADDS) based on monitored airplay of
150 stations. This followed its Aug. 20 arrival, aided by hourly plays that afternoon and the following day on participating iHeartMedia stations.

Billboard Hot Country Songs: It opened at No.36 on; following its retail launch Aug. 21 and has already logged 323K Spotify Streams.


Carrie and ARISTA Promotion Team
celebrate a record ADDS week! Click to ENLARGE














Mediabase Country Aircheck: Smoke Break blew in with a bow at No.31 bagging a 12.931 million audience, receiving 1,799 radio plays with 6171 Total points thanks to 145 first week ADDS from 154 tracking stations for the tracking week August 16 to August 22, 2015 and published chart August 24th.
Click to Enlarge


Huge kudos to the Arista team including Lesly Simon, Andy Elliott, John Sigler and Sony’s Steve Hodges on smashing the one week Add total with 145 for Carrie Underwood’s “Smoke Break.”
The achievement surpassed Florida Georgia Line’s 127 for “Dirt” registered by on July 14, 2014.


Smoke is rising
As of August 27th it stood at No.25 having received 2,725 radio spins with a 19.330 million audience
 
For the very latest up to the minute
Mediabase Chart (Past 7 Days) 
go here - www.mediabase.com




Billboard Article (Aug 24, 2015): Carrie Underwood’s Songwriting ‘Break’ Goes Up In ‘Smoke’. CLICK to ENLARGE HERE




















ALBUM COVER
Carrie Underwood revealed the STORYTELLER album cover on Aug 25th.
It shows the Blown Away singer with tousled hair and sporting a relaxed, confident smile with an almost bohemian look, yet rocks totally sleek and stylish. We think it’s her best album cover yet with a more natural look than was depicted with the edgy dramatic cover for BLOWN AWAY. Time will time if it perhaps reflects the mood of the slated 13 songs to come.
Album Cover artwork
(Credit: Randee St. Nicholas)
Click to ENLARGE

Randee St. Nicholas took the photo for Underwood’s fifth studio album on Arista Nashville. She also directed Underwood’s new music video for “Smoke Break.”

Hollywood Life  suggested to copy Carrie’s smokey eye, we know the singer, who is also an Almay spokesmodel, is a big fan of the brand’s Intense i-Color Palettes. For her gray-blue hue, try the palette in Evening Smoky (Product Detail), using the lighter shades along the inner corner of the eyes and across the lids, and the darker shades towards the outer corner and along the lower lashline. Finish with a few coats of mascara and a nude lip like Almay Smart Shade Butter Kiss Lipstick (Product), which comes in three custom nude tones depending on your skintone
Fans can pre-order a physical copy of Storyteller at Amazon.com

For more information on Carrie Underwood & her Socials, follow her:
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